Door latching device



May 5, 1959 H. N. YOUNG, JR., ETAL 2,885,239

DOOR LATCHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 originai Filed June 5o, 1949 all.

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United States Patent DOOR LATCHING DEVICE Henry N. Young, Jr., Oakland, andV Harold H. Ries, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Continuation of abandoned application Serial No. 102,264, June 30, 1949. This application May 24, 1954, Serial No. 431,878

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-401) The invention relates to a remote-control system and Patented May 5, 1959 rice Figure 13 isa diagram of the electrical control circuit of the installation of Figure 1.

means for latching doors, and particularly vehicle doors,

and this application comprises a continuation of our previous application Serial No. .102,264, tiled June 30, 1949,-

now abandoned.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved door-latching device of the character described which may be automatically rendered operative to positively prevent an undesired opening of a Acontrolled door from either side thereof.

A more specific object is to provide a device of the character described which, in association with the doors of a self-propelled vehicle, is automatically rendered operative while the propulsion means and/ or some other vehicle facility is operative.

Another object is to provide an auxiliary door-latching device which is particularly adapted for installation and operation and control independently of any lock provided forthe controlled door.

p A further object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic latch which is particularly adapted for installation and use with the present system, and is substantially universally applicable in a single form thereof to the control oi automobile doors of different makes of vehicles without requiring changes in the vehicle structures.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of typical embodiments thereof, and in the accompanying drawings, in which: l

Figure 1 is a partly sectional plan view of an automobile having a four-door body and having the latching system of our invention applied to its doors.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view disclosing an installation of a latch of the system at the sill of a vehicle doorway.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section at an upright plane through the line 3-3 in Figure 2, the door being closed.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view at the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section at the stepped line 5-5 in Figure 3.

i Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views similar to that of Figure 3 and respectively show the latch in operative condition with respect to the closed and partly opened door.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Figure l, and disclosing a dilerent latch installation and control.

Figure 9 is a perspective view corresponding to that of Figure 2, and showing a present latch installed asl inFigure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged plan section taken at the level of the line 10-10 in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a view of the latch elements taken at the lines 11--11 in Figures 3 and 10.

Figure 12 is a view of the latch elements taken at the line 12-12 in Figure 7.

The door control system of our invention has been particularly designed for application to various types of vehicles, and is illustrated in Figure 1 as applied to the doors 15 of the body 16 of a passenger vehicle V, said doors opening forwardly in doorways 17 defined in the body above sills 18 and between jambs 19, the doors being provided with usual hand-controlled latches 20 for releasably holding them tightly closed. The present vehicle V is shown diagrammatically as provided with an internal combustion engine 21, which, while running, operates an electrical generator 22 by which a storage battery 23 is charged through a usual voltage regulator 24, and is further provided with a usual battery-energizable circuit including in series an ignition-controlling switch 25 disposed at the instrument board 16 of the vehicle, a transformer coil and distributor unit 26, and the metallic frame of the vehicle body.

It will now be noted that the system of our invention g essentially contemplates the provision at each of the vehicle doors, except, possibly, the door 15 adjacent the operator, of an electro-magnetic latching assembly 27 providing a latch-bolt or stop member 28 which is disposable to prevent an opening of the associated closed door when the electro-magnet of the assembly is energized from the storage battery 23. While the latching assemblies 27 might be controlled independently of any other circuit, they are preferably controlled in accordance with the condition of the switch 25 which is usually key-controlled and must be set to close a utility circuit while closing the circuit of the latching assemblies 27 which would preferably be connected'in parallel in a grounded branch of the primary switch-controlled circuit.

The present switch 25 is of a key-controlled three-position type which is open when the control key is in an intermediate position, closes an ignition circuit and a circuit supplying energy for accessory facilities such as the lights and/or horn and/or radio and/or heater and/or windshield wiper and/or other electrically operatable devices of the vehicle when in one turned position, and supplies only said accessory-facility circuit when in the other turned position. By connecting the latch control circuit with the accessory-supply circuit from the switch 25, said circuit will be automatically energized when, and only when, the switch key is turned from the olf position in l switch is in ol position as to all circuits controlled by it.

' ures 1 and 2) or jamb (Figures 8 and 9).

A normally closed cut-out switch 29 is interposed in the latch circuit between the latch assemblies and the switch 25, and within reach of the operator, for its manual opening against spring resistance to release the latches at the will of the operator, and without requiring an opening of the switch 25.

It will now be noted that each electromagnetic latch assembly 27 comprises a solenoid 31 having a fixed core 32 of soft iron or smooth magnetic substance which is magnetized by induction only while the solenoid is energized, the solenoid being enclosed within a cylindrical shell 33 of a non-magnetic material extending somewhat beyond one end thereof. The extending shell portion retainedly and complementarily receives a cylindrical boss 34 which extends integrally from a non-magnetic latch-plate member 35 which is arranged for mounting on the exposed face of a sill 18 or a jamb 19 of a doorway 17 while the mounted solenoid assembly extends through a receiving hole provided through the sill (Fig- The present latch-plate 35 is of generally elliptical outline and extends laterally beyond the mounted solenoid 31 for the provision, in its extending portions, of holes 36 which are arranged to receive screws 37 for fixing the plate to the sill or jamb which mounts it. When, as illustrated, the sill and jamb are of metal, the solenoid-receiving hole therein may be provided by the use of a hole saw, and the screws 37 may conveniently be of the self-threading type.

A cross-slot 38 is provided through the plate 35 midway thereof and in intersecting relation to the axis of the solenoid 31, and extends into the boss 34 to have the latch bolt or stop 28 hingedly mounted therein on a hinge pin 39 which extends through and across the slot 38 at a point of the boss 34 adjacent the plate, and in offset relation to the axis of the boss. As particularly brought out in Figures 3 to 7 inclusive, the slot 38 extends only part way into the boss 34 at the opposite side thereof from the pin 39 whereby to provide an integral boss portion 41 connecting opposite slot sides. The present boss portion 41 is of rectangular cross-section in a plane axial of the boss and provides a flat face 42 extending in a plane which is parallel to the solenoid axis and joins an inner face 43 of the portion 41 at a rounded inner corner 44, the face 43 being perpendicular to the axis of the boss. A side opening 40 provided through the shell 33 opposite the slot portion at the inner boss end provides for inspection during assembly and an escape from the shell cavity of any dirt or water which may have reached it through the slot 38.

It will now be noted that the latch-bolt 28 is of a substance which is magnetizible only while in a magnetic field, is of generally triangular outline, is of uniform thickness, and is freely rockable about the pin 39 therethrough. A flat edge face 45 of the bolt member 28 is arranged to be and remain opposite the corner 44 while the member isv rocked between limiting positions in which a dat edge face 46 thereof lies in the top plane of the plate 35 (Figure 3) or the face 45 engages flat against the face 42 of the boss portion 41 as a positioning stop for the bolt 28 (Figure 7). The coterminous faces 45 and 46 are connected by a cylndrically convex edge face 47 and define an acute angle approximating fortyve degrees to provide the dogging point 48 of the bolt. The distribution of weight of the bolt 28 is such with respect to its hinge pin 39 that the bolt tends to be and remain in the position shown for it in Figure 3 entirely by the action of gravity when the pin 39 is more or less horizontal, no springs being employed or necessary in its positioning control.

Having the solenoid 31 deenergized and the latch-bolt 28 disposed as shown in Figure 3, an energizing of the solenoid by the closing of its circuit is arranged to magnetize the bolt for its swinging toward alignment with the magnetic eld of the electromagnet 31-32 to dispose its dat edge face 45 against the stop face 42 in axially extending relation to the electromagnet. The radius of the rounded edge face 47 of the bolt 28 is such as to permit a free movement of the bolt between its permitted limiting positions whereby the bolt face 47 is movable across and closely opposite the opposed end of the core 32 without contacting it. It will be understood that the described positioning of the latch-bolt 28 is urged while, and only while, the solenoid is energized to provide a magnetic field to energize the bolt, and that a movement of the magnetized bolt from its inoperative position of Figure 3 toward its limiting position of Figure 7 is due to the fact that the bolt corner defined at the juncture of the bolt faces 45 and 47 is initially nearest the core 32 at the same side of the solenoid axis as is the hinge pin 39.

A striker plate 51 is provided for mounting on a door in such a position thereon that it may cooperate with the point 48 of the extended bolt 28 both before and when an opening movement of the door is started, the

plate 51 providing a transverse edge 52 for its generally flat engagement by the face 45 of the operatively-positioned bolt 28 as a stop to prevent an opening of the door which mounts the plate. Preferably, and as brought out in Figure 7, the curved bolt edge face 47 is arranged to seat against the opposed bore portion of the solenoidcarrying shell 33 when the bolt is operative, this being permitted by reason of a sufficiently loose fit of the bolt on the pin 39 and providing the firmest possible dogging action of the bolt while permitting only a negligible strain upon the pin.

As particularly shown, the edge 52 of the present striker plate 51 comprises the inner side face of a transverse rectangular plate opening 53 having an edge 54 opposite the edge 52 and connected thereto by side edges 55, the width of the opening 53 being somewhat greater than the slot 38 of the plate 35 from which the bolt is extendable. For a reason to be hereinafter brought out, the striker plate 51 is provided with a transverse rib-like outward extension 56 providing part of the edge 54 of the opening 53. The striker plate 51 is further provided with holes 57 adjacent its sides for receiving screws 58 to mount the plate in appropriate position on the edge of a door, said screws conveniently being of the same kind and size as the screws '37. By particular reference to Figures S and 11, it will be noted that the screw holes 57 of the striker plate are provided at opposite sides of the slot 38 in a line which is parallel to the axis of swinging of the latch-bolt 28 about the pin 39, and is midway between the straight outer and inner side edges 35 and 35" of the face place 3S.

The outer edge portion of a present striker plate 51 has a form which is complementary to the outer edge portion of the face plate 35, and is arranged to have its outer edge 51' flush with the outer edge 35 of the face plate 35 when the plates are mounted at opposed doorway and door edge faces 18' and 15 respectively and the door is fully closed. The line of holes 36 and 57 in the face plate and striker plate respectively are preferably at the same distance from the corresponding outer plate edges 35' and 51' to facilitate a mounting of the plates in their respective positions by using said plate edges as reference lines in the positioned mounting of the plates in their cooperative relation on opposed doorway and door sides.

Recalling that the edge faces 15" of vehicle doors are usually and preferably spaced from the corresponding doorway faces 18 to prevent metal-to-metal contacts and to provide for the interposition of suitable non-metallic and resilient sealing and cushioning strips 59, the face plate 35 and striker plate 51 may usually be fixed flat against said faces for their required slight mutual spacing when the door carrying a plate 51 is in fully closed position. If the spacing of the faces 18' and 15 is too great to accommodate the plates 35 and 51 between them in their cooperative relation, suitable shim members (not shown) maybe interposed between one or both plates and the faces at which they are mounted. On the other hand, if the space between faces 18 and 15' is not enough, one or the other of the plates may be countersunk in the frame or door face which mounts it by an appropriate inward offsetting of a portion thereat; Figure 10 illustrates an offset provided in the door edge.

By particular reference to Figures 3, 6 and 7, it will now be particularly noted that the latch-plate 35 and striker plate 51 are so related that when a door carrying the striker plate 51 'is fully closed for the door holding operation of the bolt of the door latch 20, the bolt 28, by reason of the engagement of its face 46 with the opposed corner 56' of the rib 56 at the face 54 of the opening may not then be swung to dispose its `point 48 within the striker plate opening 53, said rib thus functioning as a positioning stop for the bolt; the relation is brought out in Figure 6. When the bolt 28 is thus held against the rib, an opening movement of the door permitted by the release of the door latch 20 slides the rib corner 56' along the bolt edge 46 to finally permit an outstanding projection ofthe boltpoint 48 into the path of movement of the stop edge 52 of the striker plate to automatically limit the degree of opening of the door to that determined by the engagement of the bolt face 45 with the face 42 of the part 41 of the latch-plate boss 34 (Figure 7); in this manner, an appreciable opening of the door is positively prevented independently of the release of the door latch 20.

Should the solenoid circuit be de-energizedwhile the bolt engages the striker rib corner 56', the bolt point 48 will not enter the space 53 as the door is opened andwill therefore not interfere with a full opening of the door in case the bolt has not returned to its fully withdrawn position of Figure 3. The latter relation is particularly important for the installation of a bolt assembly in a door jamb 19, as is shown in Figures 8 to 10 inclusive; with such an installation, the upright disposal of the hinge pin 39 for the bolt precludes a gravity return of the bolt to its completely withdrawn position of Figure 10, and the bolt is solely frictionally held against entering the striker plate opening 53 for preventing a full opening of the door in the disclosed manner. It will be noted that if the opened door is closed against the magnetized bolt 28 which is outstanding in the field of the energized solenoid, the bolt is displaceable by the striker plate 51 in the same manner as a spring-pressed latch bolt would be; in this manner, a door may be closed independently of the position of the bolt 28. It is also important to note that if the solenoid circuit is de-energized while the bolt 28 operatively engages the striker plate edge 42, it is merely necessary to effect a closing movement of the door to inoperatively dispose the then demagnetized bolt by reason of the application of the latch-plate corner 56 against it.

By particular reference to the wiring diagram of Figures 1 and 13, it will be noted that the switch 25 is shown as comprising a conductor ring 61 carried by a usual tumbler barrel 62 which is arranged for release and rotation by a key (not shown). The ring 61 provides radial contacts 63 and 64 and 65 in angularly-spaced relation, and the contact 63 is arranged for connection with the battery 23 by a exible wire 66. Fixed contacts 67 and 68 are provided for alternate engagement by the movable contact 64 as the conductor ring 61 is turned clockwise and counter-clockwise respectively from its o position, and a fixed contact 69 is provided for engagement by the movable contact 65 when the movable contact 64 engages the iixed contact 68. A wire 71 connects the contact 69 in the ignition circuit, and the contacts 67 and 68 are connected to a common wire 72 for supplying energy to other circuits than the ignition circuit, said circuits including the present latch-control circuit to the bolt-actuating solenoids 31 through the -cut-out switch 29.

It will be understood that the present activating of the latch circuit is entirely automatic whenever the switch 25 is set to close a circuit controlled by it, yet may be readily and temporarily de-activated by opening the circuit at its spring-closed cut-out switch 29. The present system is particularly valuable for preventing the undesired opening of a vehicle door by a child or other passenger during motion of the vehicle whereby to prevent an all-too-frequent type of accident. Passengers under custody are also prevented from escaping from an automobile utilizing the present system. Another advantage of the present system and installation arises from the fact that intrusion is prevented rwhen the vehicle is stopped with the latchcontrol circuit closed. An important further feature to be noted is the fact that the slight opening permitted a door which is not held shut by its primary lock 20 is perceptibly signalled when the vehicle is in motion by a rattling of the solely latch-retained door and/or by the draft created through the opening provided. Also, since the bolts of the present safety latches are not operatively disposed while the vehicle provided with them is in motion with the doors fully closed, any distortion of the vehicle body caused by road conditions or a collision can- 6.? not bend the bolts of these latches to lock the doors against opening as is apt to be the case if the latch bolts 28 then extended into the striker plate openings 53.

By particular reference to the showings of Figures 8 to l0 inclusive in which latch assemblies 27 are mounted on door jambs 19, it will be noted that the front and rear doors 15 swing outwardly from common jambs or posts 19 between them, and that the same latching elements are cooperatively utilized as in the first installation. This installation, however, is not arranged for the control of its energizing by the switch 25 but isA connected at the appropriate terminal of the voltage regulator 24 to supply operating current to the latch system only while the generator 21 is operating at a battery-charging speed, the connection being indicated in Figure 8. The present arrangement automatically renders the latches operative only while the battery-charging voltage is being generated, such a condition usually prevailing only when the engine is being operated for vehicle propulsion; in this manner, a present electro-magnetic latching system may be inoperative While the engine is idling to then permit a free opening of the door having the present latching device provided for it.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the present door-latching device will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While we have described the principle of operation, together with arrangements which we now consider to be preferred embodiments thereof, we desire to have it understood that the showings are primarily illustrative, and that such changes and developments may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

l. In an electro-magnetic latch, a solenoid enclosing a core of temporarily magnetizable material in fixed relation to it, a latch bolt of temporarily magnetizable material having a generally triangular outline providing a dogging point defined by and between flat edge faces defining between them an acute angle, a pivot pin iixedly related to the solenoid and mounting the latch bolt opposite one end of the solenoid for its free rotation about an axis perpendicular to and offset from the axis of the solenoid to provide for a positioning of the latch bolt in and between an inoperative position thereof in which one said edge face of its point is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the solenoid axis with the latch bolt disposed between the solenoid and said plane when the solenoid is de-energized and an operative position in which the dogging point is operatively extended beyond said plane while the solenoid is energized.

2. ln an electro-magnetic latch, a solenoid coaxially enclosing a core of temporarily magnetizable material in xed relation to it, a shell of non-magnetic material enclosing the solenoid in fixed relation to it and extending beyond an end of the core, a latch bolt comprising a member of temporarily magnetizable material and having a generally triangular outline providing a dogging point deiined between ilat edge faces defining between them an acute angle, a pivot pin swingably mounting the latch bolt on the extending shell portion for its free rocking about an axis perpendicular to and laterally offset from the axis of the solenoid for a limiting withdrawn disposal of the latch bolt to have one flat edge face of its point outermost and disposed in a plane perpendicular to the solenoid axis while the solenoid is de-energized and for a limiting extended disposal of the latch bolt to have the other flat edge of its point parallel to said axis while the solenoid is energized.

3. In an electro-magnetic latch, a solenoid coaxially enclosing a core of temporarily magnetizable material in ixed relation to it, a shell of non-magnetic material enclosing the solenoid in fixed relation to it and having a portion extending beyond an end of the core, a latch bolt of temporarily magneti'zable material and having a generally triangular outline and providing a dogging point dened between flat edge faces defining between them an acute angle, a member fixed to and within the extending shell portion and carrying a pivot pin swingably mounting the latch bolt for its free rocking about an axis perpendicular to and laterally oiset from the axis of the solenoid for a limiting withdrawn disposal of the latch bolt to have a rst flat edge face of its point perpendicular to the solenoid axis While the solenoid is de-energized and for a limiting fully-extended disposal of the latch bolt in which the second flat edge of its point is parallel to said solenoid axis while the solenoid is energized, and a stop provided by said member for engagement by said second bolt edge for limiting the extension of the bolt beyond its fully-extended position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

